Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-16
SEVENTY-PIYE FAMILIES HOMELESS
Great Distress and Suffering UnaVOld-
able.
AID DESIRED FOR The NEEDY.

Martins Ferry, were swept entirely away
or lett tottering and mangled, and score
of families, which at noon had been happ!
and prosperous, were left homeless
and destitute, their entire worldly
possessions in many instances being com
prised in a pile of twisted and broker
timbers, and the few garments in which
the uufortuuates were clothed. There
was, by some miracle not fully understood
bv those who passed through the terrible
experience, OF those who viewed the ruin:
after the tornado had spent its force, happily
no lives lost, but from thirty to thirty-fVe
people were more or less seriously wound
ed, while the monetary loss cannot fall
short of S15O,OOO, and may reach much
greater proportions. The occasion is ont
calling for the prompt andliberal tender o.
monetary aid by our people, and we art
sure the response will be commensurate
with the needs of the uniortunates.
The area devastated by the cyclone so fal
as was known up to midnight last night,
covers Belmont county from point south
west of st. Evansville, though that town
and across the county to and through Mar
tins Ferry to the river. The wind seem:
to have spent its force on striking the West
Virginia hills, and no damage is reported
| from the territory north or east of this city
/ The general direction was from southwest
to northeast, and the path WAS compare
lively narrow, varying from one hun
dred yards TO nearly half {
mile The force of the wind
was terrific. Nothing which stood IL
its way escaped wreck, but the peculiar
tiles observable in all cyclones were moi
lacking. The cyclone seemed 10 revolVe
upon very short axis, Tor the direction in
which objects fell changed very frequently
and decidedly within very short distances,
while the general direction of the blast wal
maintained.
The storm, as a matter of course, was
entirely unexpected. There had been nc
rain for about three weeks, and as thG
clouds banked up in the West
shortly after noon, and Il cool and refresh
ing breeze spang up, there was general re
jOieing at the prospect Of = shower which
would lay the sitting dust aud cool tn,
heating air. In that part of Martins
Ferry which suffered so severely a it'll,
later in the day the usual quiet prevailed
Most OF the male population, employees o
the glass works, foundries aud other in
dustrial establishments, were away iron
home, at their occupations, an'
the women were at home, visiting
each other, gOssiping, or busy a
their household duties, while the childrei
played about the houses or yards Abou
three o'clock slight shower began falling
and those upon the street rapidly sough
the shelter of their homes, in anticipation
of heavy rain. The wind was blOwin
gently, but after time ii almost die,
away, and then, after dead calm OF fe'
moments, the crash came. There was
irightlul roar, the air became dark wit
great clouds Of dust aud tiyiug debris, an,
houses began to rock and tremble Stronge
and stronger grew the wind, and doors be
gan to give way, windows to blow il
and chimneys to topple over upon tn
roofs, while here and there trees wer
snapped of or great branches were tor
from the parent trunks and sent iyin
through the SIR. Stronger and stronge
grew the terrible storn, and st length
while terrified women sought shelter /
cellars, or in the less exposed rooms {
their dwellings, where they gathered thei
frightened children abOut them, the cy
clone burst upon the TOM in all its fury
and in a moment wreck and ruin 80.
universal, Buildings which had stood III
storms of years, and othssC which had bee
bat recently erected shared the cOmmO
fate o. being torn into fragments, an
scattered, with lheir RnptentS, far an
wide over the bottom toward lbe FiTs
shore. In three minutes the worst WI
over, but in that short time the results {
years OF industry were scattered, and me
were beSgsred, and homeless, with the
wives and little ones, many OF them brui'
ed and bleeding, exposed to the turtle
fury Of the elements. This, relating |
Martins Ferry, applies as well to 81
Ciairsyille, and to the country
intervening betxsen the two town
The general experience OfsEe locality va
that Of sn-they differed only as to minG
details
A IT, nsvys of khc karr;,,la salapaifv vvh;a